NDM6779 - Opposition Debate
Tabled on 12/09/2018 | For debate on 19/09/2018To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:
1. Believes that sheep, which have previously been referred to as woolly maggots, should be returned to Welsh hillsides.
2. Regrets that the decision to remove grazing rights from the Welsh uplands has resulted in huge damage to the Welsh uplands, wildlife and general environment.Â
3. Calls on the Welsh Government to remove any incentives that encourage the removal of livestock from upland areas and, instead, provide incentives for those areas to be repopulated with livestock.
Tabled By
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To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:
1. Recognises the importance of Welsh livestock in supporting the agri-food industry across Wales and the rest of the United Kingdom.
2. Believes that the Welsh livestock industry is an integrated sector and that upland and lowland livestock are dependent on each other.
3. Notes the importance of upland farming to rural communities, and believes that the Welsh Government needs to prioritise the promotion of greater processing capacity in Wales in order to add value to the livestock sector.
4. Encourages the Welsh Government to work with the UK Government to secure a change in the distribution of the promotional levy income and, by doing so achieve a greater return, particularly for the Welsh sheep industry and Hybu Cig Cymru, the organisation responsible for the development, promotion and marketing of Welsh red meat.
Tabled By
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To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:
1. Believes that upland sheep farms are an important part of the Welsh economy.
2. Notes with concern the dangers posed by leaving the single market and customs union on upland sheep farms.
3. Supports remaining in the EU as a means of retaining single market status but, in the event of leaving the EU and losing single market membership, calls on the Welsh Government to provide upland sheep farms with adequate support whilst building on high animal welfare and environmental standards.
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The National Assembly for Wales:
1. Believes the result of the Brexit referendum and resulting trade challenges for Welsh upland agriculture mean we must look to the future, not the past, in developing a new model of support for land managers.
2. Notes the results of various scenario planning exercises for post-Brexit agriculture in Wales, all of which predict a difficult future for sheep farming in the uplands should the UK leave the single market and customs union.
3. Supports the Welsh Government’s intention to create a programme, to include upland farmers, addressing the issues noted above with two large and flexible schemes: an Economic Resilience scheme and a Public Goods scheme.
